1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for increasing the hitting probability of multi-barreled machine weapons, especially of four-gun or gatling-type weapon systems.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the multi-barrel machine weapon systems which are in current use, it has heretofore been the intention to coincide the middle or central positions of the target impact points of the individual weapon barrels with an average firing or combat distance of, for example, 500 to 2,000 meters. As a result, there is obtained a relatively narrowly restricted overall firing pattern or firing spread circle for the weapons. However, because of the imprecision of the firing control and in the weapon installation itself which is always encountered, as a rule, the middle impact point, mostly likely, will not coincide with the target. This disadvantage renders itself especially inexpediently or negatively noticeable with moving targets. The hitting expectancy is relatively low for this system. Through an increase in the firing spread of individual weapons there can be achieved a certain increase in the hitting expectancy at target offsets or deviations; however, the chances for hits will constantly drop off with an increase in the deviation or offset from the middle hitting point.
From the disclosure of German Pat. No. 24 39 250 there has become known an arrangement for the remote-controlled setting of the firing spread area or pattern for a gun of the gatling-type class of construction. In this instance, provided at the end of every gun run is a muzzle brace having a surface which engages each one of the gun runs, which extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the respective gun run. Through the provision of a control device on the housing it is possible to impart a lateral orientation to the weapon barrel or gun runs. This known machine weapon contains a cluster of rotatable gun barrels, by means of which, in the normal instance, there is achieved a narrowly confined spread for the firing hits.
Thus, through an adjustment of the gun barrels there can be achieved a relatively moderate spread as well as an extremely large spread for the firing hits. When the spread is selected so as to be large, there will then be encountered firing hits which are in the configuration of an annular or ring-shaped band with an open central area which is not hit. The German Pat. No. 24 39 250 fails to provide any solution in the attempt achieve an increase in the hitting probability of multi-barreled machine weapons with fixedly-positioned weapon barrels.